There was a time at Longmont High School when coaches clamored to recruit Josh Cogdill just to be a part of their program.

He's the kind of athlete, the kind of person, that even if a coach hadn't planned to feature him as a double-digit basketball scorer or a state track medalist, just having him around as an example was a bonus.

By his senior year, Cogdill developed a rare combination of adaptable physical ability, attitude and varietal interests that transformed him into a high school athlete who quietly played, ran or flat out worked his way into the postseason each season. Cogdill graduated in 2012 and reached the collegiate level at Colorado State University, Cogdill found his true calling in the decathlon.

Five years after settling into a competitive venue that offered the myriad challenges he had been seeking throughout his young life, Cogdill, fittingly, just finished his college career as a second-team All-American.

"My time at CSU was awesome," Cogdill said. "I loved every single year there and I had a lot of great support from my coaches, teammates and trainers. I just got better and better each year and to go out like I did was so awesome because it has been my goal since I started to be an All-American. To do that in my last meet was pretty special."

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Cogdill came close to reaching the national meet several times despite battling injuries during his sophomore and junior seasons. He finally qualified for the NCAA National Championships as a fifth-year senior in this year's Mountain West Conference meet. The three-time Mountain West decathlon champion made the most of his opportunity and capped his collegiate career with a 16th-place finish at nationals.

As multi-talented, athletically, as Cogdill is, his focus has since shifted elsewhere. A computer engineering major, he already has a job lined up at a firm in Boulder that will bring him back to his home turf.

"It was a great way to end it," Cogdill said. "I've done a lot in track and I'm happy with what I've accomplished. I think it's just time to hang up the cleats and start working."

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